Tending Her Heart – By Allie Lasky #4
“I can’t do this,” I tell him honestly. “I have to go.”
“Can I see you again?”
I have to give him points for his persistence. “That’s not a good idea.”
“I don’t care who your dad is,” Seb says firmly. “That has no bearing on you and me.”
“Except we live in different cities. And you’re probably about to be traded. You get a fresh start in a new place.”
“I don’t care,” he says. “They can trade me wherever. I want to see you again. I’m okay with long distance. Whatever it takes. I only want a chance to get to know you.”
He reaches for me and, this time, I let him pull me into his arms. He wraps his arms around me, my face pressed to his chest.
“We can make this work,” he says.
I want to believe him. I do.
There’s so much stacked against us. His job, grad school, my dad’s career… and that’s on top of potential long distance.
“What we have—there’s something between us,” Seb says quietly. “I knew it from the second I saw you. I just—I knew. Please don’t give up on us. Not before we have a chance to start trying.”
“Okay.” My voice comes out in a whisper. I clear my throat and meet his eyes. “Okay.”
Seb cups my cheek again, kissing me softly. It feels like a promise.
“I should go. You have stuff to deal with.”
He shakes his head. “I’d rather deal with you.” But he releases me, taking a step back. “Third time’s the charm. Can I get your number?”
With a laugh, I fish my phone off the floor, where it must have fallen out of my pocket. I unlock it and he punches in his number, calling his own phone. It vibrates from underneath the bed.
“I’ve got a meeting with my agent tomorrow, then a bunch of interviews,” he says apologetically.
“So you’re here for the draft?”
He nods. “My brother—the youngest one—he’s getting drafted.”
He sounds so confident. There’s no hesitation there.
“How are you so sure?”
Seb smirks. “Everyone in my family has been picked in the first round. Even Uncle Todd was picked last in the first round, but still taken in the first round.”
“Wow. So when you say it’s your family business…”
“My brothers and I all play. My dad and my uncles played. My grandfather played.”
Squinting at him, I try to clock his features. He doesn’t look familiar, but I’ve admittedly been out of the loop the last four years I was away at college. I avoided all things hockey.
“So I’d know your family?”
“You’re familiar with the Henry dynasty?” He cocks his head.
Slowly, I nod. Everyone’s heard of the Henry family. Their family has won more Stanley Cups between them than any other. There are three brothers active in the league now, plus two of the older generation working in the front office of various teams. I’m fairly certain one is a GM.
Seb gives a little wave. “Hi. I’m Sebastian Henry.”
Oh, fuck.
SEB
Dad is pissed when I make it back to the suite he’s commandeered as an office.
“Where’ve you been?” he barks.
“Around,” I mutter. After kissing Audrey goodbye, I hopped into the shower—again—and returned to face my fate.
Luke smirks at me. Joe, on the couch with his phone, looks up and smirks, too. Fucker. I bet Luke told him.
“Where’s Mike?”
“He went for a nap,” Dad says. “Anderson’s been calling. Wants to talk hypotheticals.”
My stomach sinks. Michael Anderson is the GM of an east coast team. I don’t remember which one. I don’t have everyone’s front office memorized. Last I heard, he was with New York. He played with Grandpa back in the day. If he’s calling… that means a trade is imminent.
“What team?”
“Boston,” Dad says with a pinched look on his face.
My stomach swoops like I’ve missed a step. Yes! This is the universe cheering me on.
“I’ll do it. I’ll go,” I say immediately.
“You could get more with Ottawa,” he says.
I shake my head. “Whatever they’re offering, I’ll take it.”
Audrey lives in Boston. That’s where her dad is.
My heart stops. Could I do this? Can I play for her father?
Yes. Absolutely, yes. If it means I get to have her—yes. I don’t care how difficult he makes my life, I’ll jump through whatever hoops necessary to prove I’m the right guy for his daughter. I want her. I need her. However I can have her, I want her in my life.
Dad shakes his head, clearly not happy. “Trade and sign. They’re only offering six years.”
We wanted an eight year contract. Minnesota was never going to go for it. They’re deep in a rebuilding phase, so we knew it was coming. They let me know unofficially that I might be getting some news this weekend. If not, I’d be traded as soon as they could finalize everything.
“AAV?” The average annual value is how we judge if a contract’s salary is fair or not.
“Good. Among the best in the league.”
“Then let’s do it.”
Dad frowns. “You sure about this?”
“Never been more sure in my life.”
“Okay, I’ll get it teed up with Jerry,” he says.
That’s my agent. Officially, my agent can’t bring me a contract until the team offers it, but especially in the backrooms of hockey dealings, everyone knows everyone.
And my dad’s name carries weight. “They want it finalized before the draft. There are picks at play.”
Of course there are.
“Great. Do you need me for anything else?”
Dad squints at me. “What’s with you?”
“There’s a girl,” Luke sing-songs.
I glare at him.
Dad sighs. “Really, Seb? You’re distracted over a piece of ass?”
“She’s not a piece of ass ,” I snap. “I like her.”
No wonder Mom left him. He’s a misogynistic asshole who never grew out of the good old boys’ club.
He rolls his eyes. “My apologies.”
“Whatever. I need some air.” Stalking out of the room, I’m surprised when footsteps echo behind me.
“Dude, come on,” Luke says. “What’s with you?”
“Why’d you tell him?” I whirl on him. “You couldn’t keep from blurting it out?”
“I didn’t think she was a big deal,” he says, defensive. “Didn’t you pick her up in the bar?”
“I—it’s more than that.”
His eyes narrow. “When’d you meet her?”
With a sigh, I admit: “On the plane.”
“And you brought her back to the hotel?”
“She’s staying here.”
Luke squints at me. “Who is she?”
I hesitate.
“Seb, who is this woman? Do you even know her?”
“Her dad is the Boston coach.”
He whistles. “Shit, man. You’re in for it now.”
I shake my head. “It means we actually have a chance. We don’t have to do long distance.”
“You think making a play for the coach’s daughter will help, now that they’ve traded you?”
“They want me,” I defend. “They wouldn’t have traded for me if they didn’t. Now we have a chance to be together.”
Luke hums. “Maybe.”
“I want to be with her. Whatever it takes.”
“You realize how crazy you sound, right? You just met this woman?”
“When I saw her, I knew. She’s the one for me,” I tell him seriously.
My brother shakes his head. “You’re crazy.”
“Crazy for her.” I sigh. “Look, you don’t have to understand it. You don’t even have to support it. But I’d like you to have my back. You know I’d do the same for you.”
Luke hangs his head. “Okay. Fine. Let’s go meet my future sister-in-law.”
She’d texted that she was down by the pool, so that’s where we go. I find my brown-haired beauty wearing a bikini and reading on her Kindle. I don’t think I’ve come across her without it yet.
“Hey, gorgeous,” I tell her, leaning down to kiss her.
Audrey’s cheeks go pink. “Hi.” She looks past me. “Oh. I’m not interested in a gang-bang.”
Luke grins at her as we both take a seat on the lounge beside hers. “Not here for that.”
I shudder. “Yeah, no. We’re not going to—no.”
It’s bad enough that he caught us immediately after the act. I’d never be able to meet my brother’s eyes if he saw me in the midst of it.
And then the idea of him seeing Audrey in that way… A protective growl rumbles through my chest. I don’t want anyone to leer at her.
“Down, boy,” Luke smirks at me. “I’m not going to proposition her. She’s going to be my sister.”
Her eyes go wide. “What the fuck ?”
“Well, sister-in-law,” he amends. “But I only have brothers. I’ve always wanted a sister.”
She whirls on me. “What the fuck have you been telling him?”
“He’s exaggerating,” I mutter. If he ruins this for me, if this thing combusts before it can even begin, I will never forgive him.
“Dude, we met this morning,” she snaps. “I agreed to date you, not… that.”
Luke winces. “Too far?”
“Way too far,” I tell him. I haven’t even had a chance to tell her the news. I reach for her hand and, warily, she lets me take it. “I like you. He’s joking. That’s what annoying little brothers do. They make inappropriate jokes and tease.”
Audrey thaws a bit. “I’ve never had a brother. Or a sister.”
“You’re welcome to mine. I’ve got three of them,” I offer.
She cracks a smile. “I’ll consider it.”
A shadow looms over us. “Consider what, hon?”
I recognize that voice.
With a gulp, I look up into the face of Coach Turner. His eyes are narrowed on where I’m holding his daughter’s hand.
I don’t let go. I lace our fingers together and a muscle twitches in his cheek.
“What’s going on here?” His voice is deadly calm.
“Seb and I are?—”
Coach Turner flinches. “No.”
Audrey’s eyebrows go up. “Excuse me?”
“No, you can’t date my player.”
“You don’t get to dictate who—” She stops. “Wait. Your player?” She turns to me. “You play for Minnesota.”
“That’s what I wanted to tell you. They’re trading me. To Boston.”
She gapes at me. “You asked for this?”
I shake my head. “It fell into our laps. Dad doesn’t even want me to take it.”
Coach Turner crosses his arms over his chest. “Hmph.”
“If it means I get to be closer to you, I’ll go anywhere,” I tell her honestly. “That the team closest to where you’ll be living wants me… It’s fate, bringing us together.”
She squeezes my hand. “You’re moving to Boston, and it has nothing to do with me?”
I nod. “Right. I’d still be moving there if we’d never met.”
Audrey flings her arms around me, crushing me to her. “Oh, thank goodness.”
Her dad squints down at us. “You’re… happy?”
“If he were moving for me, it would be way too soon,” she says. “But he happens to be moving there for reasons that have nothing to do with me. We can date and get to know each other.”
He frowns.
I rise to my full height and offer him my hand. “I’m looking forward to joining the Grizzlies, sir.”
Reluctantly, he shakes my hand. “When did this all start?”
“I saw her this morning and knew she was the one for me,” I tell him honestly. “From the moment I saw her, I knew.”
Coach lets out a noise of dissatisfaction.
“I want to date your daughter, Coach. I want to love her.”
His entire body twitches.
“I’ll be the best damn goaltender you’ve ever seen, but if you want to keep us apart, it won’t work. I don’t care if you send me down to the minors. I’ll still want to be with her.”
He frowns. “I know what you’re capable of in the net. But she’s my daughter.”
“If you think I’m good at protecting the net, imagine how I would protect her heart.” Squaring my shoulders, I don’t back down. “She’s incredible. I’d do anything for her.”
Coach looks me up and down with an assessing gaze. After a moment, he nods. “Welcome to the team, son.”
Audrey opens her mouth. “Dad?—”
He shakes his head. “There will be ground rules. You won’t be joining us on road trips. The night before games, I expect him to get rest. That means?—”
She blushes a brilliant shade of red. “Daddy!”
Coach takes a deep breath. “And I want Sunday dinners. On the weeks we’re home, when there’s no game, I want Sunday dinners.”
“I’ll be there,” she says immediately.
His head swivels to me.
“If you want me there, I’ll be there,” I say with no hesitation. “It would be an honor to sit at your table, Coach.”
He winces.
“And not because you’re my coach and I want to be the best player I can be,” I tell him.
“Although that’s true. It’s an honor because I’m crazy about your daughter, and I know that makes you uncomfortable.
I’ll do everything I can to prove I’m the right guy to take care of your baby girl.
She’ll be safe with me. I—” I swallow. “I want to love her.”
Taking a step back, I reach for Audrey’s hand, and she grabs hold of it without hesitation.
“It’s early. I know that,” I tell her. “But I’m in this, one hundred percent.”
A slow smiles spreads over her face. “Me, too.”
When she kisses me, a warm glow spreads through me, lighting me from my head to my toes. It’s like my soul is reaching out to hers, the two combining until we’re one in two bodies.
I always thought fate was something made up. A fairytale. I didn’t believe . We were meant to find each other. We were meant to be together.
It’s clear Audrey Turner is the one for me. And I won’t stop until the whole world knows it.
Allie Lasky is a queer and AuDHD writer with a hyper-fixation on inclusivity and representation. She loves the color purple, Michigan football, and the Boston Bruins. When she’s not absorbed by a book, she likes to watch sports and spend time with her nephews.
Born and raised in Southern California, she now calls South Carolina home. She is allergic to the cold, rain, snow, and mosquitos.
The Boston Grizzlies continue with Puck Me Twice . When the hockey team’s logistics coordinator needs a fake boyfriend, autistic hockey player Sven tries to convince the one that got away to give him a second chance.